Growing up with the ‘waste not, want not’ ideology, and because we planted some this year, I wondered about the health benefits of radish as well as how radish leaves could be used. What I learned is nothing short of amazing. Besides, being used in salads, they can also be used in smoothees and they have a distinct flavor. I definitely like it more than spinach. 🙂

Artificial sweeteners are so little, you can’t see them once they’re added. They are sweet poison and matter greatly. I mean that literally. There’s a chemical reaction in our bodies that actually turns a couple of them into formaldehyde! Over 6000 products on the market today have them as a major ingredient replacing sugar. Are you buying “diet”, “fat free”, or “sugar free” items?

It’s scary to think that though we are giving our little ones treats that in reality we’ve actually been poisoning our families. So many illnesses (learning disabilities, alzheimer’s, cancer, etc) are on the rise and much of it appears to be related to what’s going in the mouth. It’s been a scary educational process for me, but I hope learning that artificial sweeteners are really sweet poison has been a help to you.

(LittleThingsDoMatter) Wheat or white? WHEAT, of course! I will admit it took a while for me to get used to the different flavor as I grew up on white. I guess it’s a matter of training your taste buds to a variety of healthy foods rather than just flavorful.

Learning how to read and understand ingredients and then purchasing the better food can make a huge difference in your health and especially the health of growing children. Choosing wheat over white bread is one of the little things that do matter.

(LittleThingsDoMatter) This video really tore me up. I hurt for this kid (and so many like him). Watching it, I could see a few minor changes in diet that would make a major difference for him. Can you spot them? What would you change to help him become the happy, healthy kid he deserves to be?

(LittleThingsDoMatter) It’s a question that’s been bothering me ever since my own grandson was ‘diagnosed’ as ADHD. His mom and teacher filled out a questionnaire and the ‘Dr’ said, “He has ADHD. Here’s a prescription.” At the time, he was only 6. There were only questions about his activity – nothing about his diet or even the nutrition value. Doctors are too quick to prescribe stuff to treat the symptoms – what about the cause? What those medications do to the chemicals in the brain is incredible. My little guy had severe headaches when he ‘came down’ and he said, “It hurts so bad I just want to die.”

I think the reason more kids are being labeled ADHD and prescribed drugs like Ritalin, Adderal, Concerta, etc. is because there are too many kids in the classrooms today and not enough teachers to work with the ones who may need some extra attention and exhibit a few of the Signs and Symptoms of ADHD.

Children tend to be excited, they ask a lot of questions … it’s the nature of being a child. The drugs that are given to these kids actually make them into little robots. Up to 10% of these children are wrongly diagnosed. They may be sensitive to chemicals in cleaning products, have food allergies or a combination of both. It’s simple enough to change brands and/or diet. The best part – no prescription drugs!

It could also be the child has such a zest for life, it’s darn near impossible to be still. Another thought I have is to question how the child learns. Is it audio, visual, hands-on? I learned recently (and I’ve been out of a school for a long time) that I’m a combination – I need both audio and visual. I don’t think the questions should be only about how a child acts but also why.

Look at their diet and lack of exercise. Too many children are getting a steady diet of fast food (no or very little good nutrition there) and more of them spend time sitting either in front of the TV or a computer rather than outside running and playing. Use the Vitamin Wheel posted at the bottom of this page to learn more about the important role of vitamins in the body.

Read about the chemicals in everyday household cleaners. You can also subscribe (upper right of this page) to receive my free Toxin Checklists which cover not only chemicals in common cleaners and personal care products but also their warnings and health effects.

An excellent book on natural alternatives for the special child(ren) in your life is listed under ‘I Recommend’ – Twelve Effective Ways to Help Your ADD/ADHD Child.

PS Have you noticed the signs posted in school zones “This is a drug free area”? Wonder how many different drugs you’d see lined up in the nurse’s office? How many are really necessary?

(LittleThingsDoMatter) Longer days, more time outside? Not for about 1 in 3 people who have allergies. Itchy nose, watery eyes make for a miserable time. In my previous post I mentioned a couple of things we’ve done to clean up the air in our home which helped tremendously. However, my little guy’s allergies don’t seem to be connected with all the wonders of Spring.

Not only did he appear to have allergic reactions to the cleaners I no longer use, but connected to certain foods as well. A diet change was put in place and has helped. For my “AAA Kid” (who absolutely must have the worst diet on the continent):

No sugar – soda is totally elimated as it contains high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), sodium benzoate and caffeine;

Pizza is now only for very special occasions;

Milk is limited to skim – regular milk and cheeses thickened the mucus making it more difficult for him to breath (due to asthma).

As you can see, his diet consists of things that he really likes but aren’t healthy. He doesn’t care for the taste or texture of much of anything. Are you wondering how he’s staying alive? I am. When he visits for any length of time, he gets whole food supplements and meal replacement shakes.

I am still learning to read food label ingredients and totally avoid anything that has HFCS, trans fats or Splenda, sucralose, Equal, NutraSweet, etc. and instead use Xylitol, Stevia, or organic sugar.

It’s been more of a lifestyle change creating a diet without harmful preservatives or chemicals. I refer to our grandkids as a second chance but it’s really an opportunity to become more aware, healthy, and enjoy life more fully than ever before.